Federal judge limits court review in voting case

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has agreed to limit what material the court can consider in a lawsuit filed by Kansas and Arizona seeking to force federal election officials to modify voter registration forms to require proof-of-citizenship from residents in those states.

U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren on Wednesday sided with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission in limiting his review to the existing administrative record, rather than hold an evidentiary hearing in the case.

The decision means that the court will hear only arguments from attorneys instead of considering any new evidence.

The election commission won its argument that any judicial review of its January decision to reject the states’ request for the documentation requirement should be limited to whether the decision was arbitrary or unlawful based only on the administrative record.